Game Scripts

Scripts are used in games for a number of reasons but the main underlying reason is expandability by people other than C++ coders. If your simple scripting language supports triggers, than your level editors should be able to create linear events in the level without having to touch the source code. They can just create simple scripts (assuming your scripting language is simpler than C++).

How your want to make your scripting language depends on the type of game you are going to make, and what problems you want to solve. So I can''t really give you an end all be all guide. A good place to start, I think, is to look at what other people have done. Unreal tournament springs to mind when I think of a powerful scripting engine. There are countless web sites devoted to using it for create new and unusual creations.

The new big thing in games is opening up the scripting language to the end user so that the end user can change the game, and create interesting levels/weapons/etc. So you can bet there will be a lot more games with open scripting engines for you to look at.